Little Green Dragon nodded, “Makes sense. Let’s wait patiently then.”
They decided against searching elsewhere, having concluded that this area likely held no rare treasures or valuable mineral veins.
[App interjection: Perfectly replicated old version of the Zhuishushenqi app with source-switching functionality—Mimi Reading.]
“By the way, kid, hand over those Qiankun Crystal Stones you converted. I’m starting my breakthrough now,” Little Green Dragon said.
After the earlier battle, Little Green Dragon was eager to boost its strength quickly.
“Fair enough. We’re idle while waiting, but let’s move somewhere else. There’s a reef cave over there. We’ll go inside to avoid disturbing your cultivation. I’ll keep my divine sense active, and if the seal starts to fade, we’ll head out immediately,” Lin Yun said.
About six thousand metres away, there was indeed a reef cave.
“Alright,” Little Green Dragon agreed.
Lin Yun and Little Green Dragon sped towards the reef cave and entered.
Inside the cave:
Lin Yun flipped his hand, producing the 300,000 Qiankun Crystal Stones converted from dragon palace resources and handed them to Little Green Dragon.
“Here I go!”
Little Green Dragon expanded to over a hundred metres, then opened its massive jaws.
Boom, boom, boom.
The Qiankun Crystal Stones flowed into its mouth like a river.
“Bloody hell, it can do that!” Lin Yun gaped, stunned.
When Lin Yun used Qiankun Crystal Stones, he absorbed them gradually, but Little Green Dragon swallowed them whole.
Then again, their sizes and constitutions were on entirely different levels.
“Kid, I’ll start refining them now. It’ll take some time,” Little Green Dragon said.
“Alright, head into the One Thought Clarity Tower. I’ll keep watch out here,” Lin Yun replied.
Little Green Dragon nodded and entered the One Thought Clarity Tower to begin refining the crystals.
Among the dragon clan, higher breakthroughs demanded stricter bloodline requirements. For a sixth-grade bloodline, reaching four or five claws was typically the limit. Progressing further was nearly impossible, as bloodlines largely determined one’s ceiling.
But for Little Green Dragon, with its first-grade bloodline, seven claws were far from its limit. Advancing to eight claws, with sufficient resources, wasn’t overly difficult.
The challenge was resources. Without Lin Yun’s Qiankun Supreme Cauldron, Little Green Dragon’s progress would be painfully slow. Advancing from seven to eight claws would normally take tens of thousands of years, much like a cultivator in the Dominion Realm needing millennia per breakthrough.
While Little Green Dragon entered the tower, Lin Yun stayed put, continuing to cultivate the *Dragon Claw Technique*.
As time passed, more members of the dragon palaces arrived at the final barrier at the end of the Submerged Dragon Abyss.
Having found nothing elsewhere, most began waiting there.
Members of the East Sea and South Sea Dragon Palaces also arrived. Though tensions ran high, no further fighting broke out.
The reason was simple: the East Sea Dragon Palace knew their forces in the Submerged Dragon Abyss were now outnumbered by the West Sea Dragon Palace. They wouldn’t dare act recklessly, as they’d be the ones to suffer.
While cultivating, Lin Yun kept his divine sense monitoring the situation outside.
Inside the One Thought Clarity Tower:
Though Little Green Dragon had absorbed 300,000 Qiankun Crystal Stones, its refining speed was remarkably fast.
As it refined them, its body underwent rapid changes.
About a few hours later:
“Dragon Claw Technique, third level, finally mastered,” Lin Yun said with a smile.
He raised his right hand.
Boom!
His entire arm was instantly covered in dragon scales, extending from shoulder to palm, with even the hand fully encased. His fingernails transformed into claws, and immense power surged through his arm.
“Not bad. The third level of the Dragon Claw Technique slightly surpasses the perfected Shaking Heaven Hand,” Lin Yun said, satisfied as he examined his right arm.
Maintaining the Dragon Claw, however, consumed significant energy.
Even at Lin Yun’s All Things Realm, the drain was noticeable, but his vast inner energy reserves, like a galaxy-sized sea, could sustain it for a long time.
Since the third level of the Dragon Claw Technique outdid the perfected Shaking Heaven Hand, the fourth level would surely surpass it by a wide margin.
The Dragon Claw Technique had seven levels, each with a dramatic and noticeable power increase.
Next, Lin Yun began cultivating the fourth level of the Dragon Claw.
With his body at the Origin Form, Lin Yun believed the fourth level would come relatively easily.
Half a day later:
“Fourth level, achieved!”
Lin Yun spread his right hand, his arm instantly covered in dragon scales, radiating terrifying energy fluctuations, as if a single burst could destroy heaven and earth.
For most human cultivators, especially those with weaker physical bodies, mastering the fourth level might take millennia. But for Lin Yun, it came naturally.
With no significant obstacles and his prior foundation, the first four levels were mastered swiftly.
Undoubtedly, with the fourth level complete, the Dragon Claw Technique could truly shine for Lin Yun, proving its worth.
In his earlier fight with Ao Tiancheng, Lin Yun had realised that, with his Origin Form body, it was impossible for Ao Tiancheng to defeat or kill him in combat.
But defeating Ao Tiancheng was equally difficult. A seven-claw dragon’s body was incredibly tough. Even with Lin Yun’s sharp Origin-grade weapon, it would take immense power to break through its defence and cause real damage.
Even trapping it in the Nine-Star Pagoda would put it at a disadvantage, but its natural defence remained formidable, making it hard for Lin Yun to inflict meaningful harm.
To win, Lin Yun needed a significant boost in attack power to have a real chance at defeating Ao Tiancheng.
“The fifth level of the Dragon Claw Technique will likely take longer to cultivate,” Lin Yun murmured.
